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Sphero EDU Device CompatibilityUpdated 2 days ago

The Sphero Edu software is available on many common devices through the use of our apps on iOS, macOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows, and Amazon Fire OS. Some platforms don't support all robots or software features. Please review the information below to better understand which robots and features are supported on your devices.

System Compatibility

Each platform has specific hardware or software requirements. See the table and additional information below to ensure your devices will support the Sphero Edu app.

System Compatibility
FeatureDescriptionPlatformWebsite
  iOS  AndroidChrome OSFire OSWindowsmacOS
System RequirementsThe minimum operating system, browser, or required hardware for each platform.OS Requirements:
iOS 12.5.6+

Additional Requirements:
Bluetooth 4.0+
OS Requirements:
Android 8+

Additional Requirements:
Bluetooth 4.0+
OS Requirements:
Android 8+

Additional Requirements:
4GB memory
Bluetooth 4.0+
OS Requirements:
Fire OS 7+

Additional Requirements:
Bluetooth 4.0+
OS Requirements:
Windows 10 2004(20H1)+
Windows 11

Additional Requirements:
64-bit
4GB memory
Bluetooth 4.0+
OS Requirements:
macOS 10.15+

Additional Requirements:
Bluetooth 4.0+
Supported Browsers:
Chrome
Safari
Firefox
Edge

**Important Note!**
Note:
Even though some Android, Windows, and Chromebook devices may meet the hardware or software requirements, they may not be fully compatible due to variation in the quality of Bluetooth hardware. Contact us at [email protected] about compatibility if you are purchasing Android devices for school use or are planning to use our robots with your fleet of Android devices.


iOS and macOS

The iOS and macOS Sphero Edu apps are available through the App Store on each respective platform. Any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch that runs iOS 12 or newer is compatible with the iOS Sphero Edu app. Any MacBook, iMac, Mac Pro, or Mac mini that runs macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or newer is compatible with the macOS Sphero Edu app.

Note:
The Sphero Edu app is not compatible with the Apple Watch or Apple TV.


Android and Chrome OS

The Android version of Sphero Edu is our longterm solution for both Android devices and Chromebooks. The Android app is accessible in Google Play for both platforms. Not all Chromebooks can run Android apps, though all models released since 2019 do. To learn more about Sphero Edu accessibility on Chromebooks, visit this support page. Any Android phone, tablet, or Chromebook that supports Android 8 or newer can run the latest versions of Sphero Edu. Google recommends using Chromebooks with 4GB of RAM when running Android apps, as they require a compatibility layer called ARC (Android Runtime for Chrome) to run the apps. This results in additional memory usage beyond the RAM required to run the Sphero Edu app itself.

Note:
With Android 12+, users will need to enable Nearby devices permissions to scan for and connect to robots. This permissions is not related to Location Permissions, and is instead related to how Android 12 handles BLE use for scanning purposes. Learn more at their developer documentation here.


Windows

The Windows version of Sphero Edu is accessible from the Microsoft App Store or as a downloadable installer from our website. Any Windows laptop or desktop computer that runs Windows 10 2004(20H1)+ or Windows 11 is compatible with the Sphero Edu Windows app, provided the device has Bluetooth and mouse/keyboard/touchscreen support. Sphero recommends deploying the Microsoft Store release via Intune when possible, but the .msixbundle and .exe are also provided for schools that need to utilize other deployment solutions.

Windows 11 SE Warning:
The Sphero Edu Windows app is not supported on Windows 11 SE. Windows 11 SE has very limited support for 3rd party native apps, and does not allow for the app installation solutions that are present in Windows 10 or 11.
Windows Bluetooth Warning:
Not all Windows devices have Bluetooth hardware and we cannot guarantee support with external Bluetooth dongles. We recommend using Sphero Edu on Windows devices that have dedicated Bluetooth hardware. Please confirm your Windows device supports Bluetooth LE 4.0 before using Sphero Edu.


Fire OS

The Amazon Fire OS version of Sphero Edu is accessible from the Amazon Appstore. We officially support Fire tablets that run Fire OS 7 +. Older Amazon Fire tablets may exhibit connection issues.

Some features are not available on Fire tablets due to the hardware or operating system. Here are some examples of features that are not available with the Fire OS version of Sphero Edu:

  • Google Sign In (due to Google Services limitations)
  • QR code scanning (due to camera hardware limitations)
  • Bolt auto-aiming (due to magnetometer hardware limitations)

Amazon Fire Tablet Warning:
Amazon Kids and children accounts on Fire devices generally have Bluetooth disabled. On Fire OS 7 you can enable this by following these steps:
• Go to Settings > Profiles & Family Library
• Select your child's profile (or create one if needed)
• Select Location Based Settings
Select Enable for this profile for the Location-Based Services & Bluetooth Low Energy

Note:
As of version 6.3.3, Sphero EDU uses companion pairing which is not supported with Child Accounts. Young users will need to use their parent's profiles to connect their robot to Sphero EDU until Amazon fixes this compatibility issue. If you experience difficulty in connecting to Sphero Robots after using a Child profile and swapping to a Parent profile, please check in both the App and Device Settings that Bluetooth and Location permissions are enabled.




Robot Functionality

The table below details the specific features in the Sphero Edu app that are available on each platform. It's worth noting that the Sphero Edu website does not support Bluetooth connection with your Sphero robots. As a result, any feature that requires Bluetooth to connect and use your robot is disabled on the website.

ROBOT FUNCTIONALITY
FeatureDescriptionPlatformWebsiteNotes
  iOS  AndroidChrome OSFire OSWindowsmacOS
ProgrammingProgram robots with the Draw, Block, or JavaScript canvases
Bluetooth ConnectionConnect to robots over Bluetooth
Windows and macOS app do not connect to Sphero 2.0 or SPRK
DrivingDrive robots over Bluetooth

Firmware UpdatesUpdate the code that lives on a robot


Sensor Data: ArchiveReview archive sensor data after a program runs


Sensor Data: LiveView live sensor data while a program runs


Offline ModeView and edit programs without the internet

Camera and VideoRecord video and photos of a program, or scan QR codes for activities



Activities Aligned to StandardsStep by step instructions for learning coding and hands-on projects
Activity Progress & ReviewAssign activities to a class and review student progress in real-time






Activity AuthoringCreate your own Activities with the Activity authoring tools






Class SetupFirst time class and roster setup for native accounts, Clever, and Google Classroom










Robot Compatibility

Not all Sphero robots are supported in the Sphero Edu app. See the table below to determine if your robot works with the version of the Sphero Edu app you have downloaded.

ROBOT COMPATIBILITY
Sphero RobotYear LaunchedPlatformWebsite
  iOS  AndroidChrome OSFire OSWindowsmacOS
Sphero RVR+2022
Sphero RVR2019
Sphero BOLT2018
Sphero SPRK+2016
Sphero Mini2017
Ollie2014
Sphero SPRK2015


Sphero 2.02013


BB-82015
BB-9E2017
R2-D22017
R2-Q52017
Sphero Original2011






Force Band2016






Spider-Man2017






Ultimate Lightning
McQueen
2017






Specdrums2019






indi™2021










Supported Languages

All Sphero Edu apps support the following languages:

  • English
  • Arabic
  • Dutch
  • Spanish
  • Mexican Spanish
  • Finnish
  • French
  • German
  • Hebrew
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Norwegian Bokmål
  • Swedish
  • Simplified Chinese
  • Traditional Chinese


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